The present invention relates generally to the field of portable furniture and in particular to a chair and a table that are nestable.
Traditional stackable chairs include a pair of inverted-U-shaped leg members attached to opposite sides of a generally horizontal seat. A generally L-shaped back support frame interconnects with the leg members and extends upwardly from the rear of the seat to support a back cushion. This type of chair is stacked by placing the inverted-U-shaped leg members of one chair over the top of the leg members of another chair, such that the seat of the upper chair is supported just above the seat of the lower chair. However, chairs of this type are limited by their vertical stacking requirement, especially with respect to aesthetics. Moreover, vertical stacking can be cumbersome, tiresome and even dangerous if a stack is too tall.
One alternative has been a traditional folding chair in which the entire chair folds relatively flat. A similar approach has been taken for tables. This approach requires special mechanisms and linkages that are not always easily deployed and that are susceptible to pinching the fingers of the person opening or closing the chair or table. Moreover, while the flattened folded configuration reduces the storage profile of the chair or table, stands or carriages are often required to support the folded furniture.
In some settings many chairs and tables are required, such as in a conference or training room, an office or a classroom. In these settings portability is important since the chairs and tables may need to be frequently deployed, stowed, and re-configured. Storage is always an important criteria, and particularly minimizing the space required to store a full complement of tables and chairs. Further, the chairs and tables must be durable and rugged, yet preferably mechanically simple, easily assembled, lightweight, and low-cost. Still further, many consumers want an aesthetically pleasing appearance and a design that can take advantage of modern materials. There is always a need for an improved chair and table that meets these criteria.